Thousand Watt Stare
/ Press

“Imagine Mike Ness fronting ’80s-era Metallica. That describes the most recent turn in the progression of Thousand Watt Stare from punk roots to something approaching metal-ish hard rock. They look like punks on metal, for that matter, which is to say metal minus the formula. 2011’s Silver Dimes is a head-bruising collection of darker themes set in a clean, dynamic approach. Tight, no slop, lean, and to the point. Guitarist Christian Martucci has an encyclopedic knowledge of power chords and heavy riffs in his left hand, and he delivers more of that in Thousand Watt Stare than in any band in his past. They would include Black President, a run as Dee Dee Ramone’s guitarist, Chelsea Smiles, and road time with Corey Taylor from Slipknot, who is no stranger to ear-bleed.”

“Silver Dimes is so convincing that you'd be forgiven for thinking that this was released way back when The Clash ruled the music papers and the uber cool were digging fledgling versions of Bad Religion, Social Distortion and the Sisters Of Mercy.”

“Title track ‘Silver Dimes’ has a gothic Misfits-meets-Cramps vibe to it, with it’s edgy, staccato guitar and female vocal harmonics, while ‘World Of Scars’ opens with a riff reminiscent of early Billy Idol, while Martucci’s snarling vocal reinforces that comparison, which can also be applied to ‘New Disease’, which sounds like a Gen X / Ramones crossover in one big punk rock ‘n’ brawl. The 80s British post-punk feel is no more evident than the quartet’s edgy take on The Lords Of The New Church’s hidden gem, ‘Open Your Eyes’, which is infused with new life and dominated by Martucci’s vocal, which also doffs it’s cap to the likes of Wayne Hussey and Andrew Eldridge: indeed, the post-punk English ‘goth’ gods are another fitting reference point. All in all, this is hugely enjoyable and one guaranteed to your mates boogie-ing along at your next house party.”

“You can definitely tell that there is a heavy rock influence, but this influence goes in a number of directions from the beginning of the album to the end. For instance, the song ‘World of Scars’ (my personal favorite on the album) sounds like something you would hear if you frequented dive bars, with its heavy use of twangy guitars and simple, yet steady song structure. And then there are songs like ‘Scavengers’ where the music carries more of a pop-punk sound and vocals remind me a lot of bands like Hot Water Music, but again with that subtle southern influence. All in all, I think the album definitely deserves a good listen, and I feel that this band could appeal to a wide array of listeners.”

“Forget the enormous productions, the wailing solos and the glass shattering falsettos. This is the purist side of the rock ‘n’ roll journey; the roots, the raucousness and the filth. My God yes, the filth. THOUSAND WATT STARE’S self-titled EP is all these things and more.
It's old school but don’t be fooled by that over-used cliche – I’m using it exactly as it should be used. This EP is fresh. This EP is raw. This EP is a brilliant introduction from this Los Angeles based trio. So brilliant, if I’d never heard of them and you played me this EP and said, “These guys opened for The Specials in 1981″ I’d believe you.
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“Actor Dwight Frye was notorious for his haunting glare and was named "The Man With the Thousand Watt Stare." Not only did Fry inspire the band Thousand Watt Stare, his intensity prevails as well. After stints in Black President, The Chelsea Smiles, and The Dee Dee Ramone Band, band leader Christian Martucci decided it was time he made a name for himself. He hooked up with Pat Kim and Dylan Howard and they have been performing ever since. The band makes a mix of modern day punk with a mix of White Zombie's horror film essence. Their debut EP is heavy all the way through and Martucci's vocals may remind you of a younger Social Distortion. On their Myspace, the band wrote that they are heading back into the studio for their first full length album, and they also remind us to "HAIL, HAIL ROCK N' ROLL!!!" With this debut, Thousand Watt Stare lives up to their aphorism.”

“Bands like Thousand Watt Stare are rare. I expected rock but TWS exceeded my expectations. Stand outs, “Downsider” and “Bad Heart” are for fans of The Plimsouls and The Smithereens. To sum it up, TWS’s self-titled EP, Thousand Watt Stare, is six songs of high-energy and surprisingly, catchy music that paints images of hot chicks swinging their bleach blonde hair around on the hood of a Camaro.”

“The feeling of elation through Punk Rock music, and even Rock music itself, is at best experienced through an every-so-often tour of older bands still kickin’ around and playin’ for the fans, which is wonderful, but it’d be nice to see some newer ensembles step up to the plate and prove once and for all that the death of Punk is a complete and total lie. So with that being said, I direct your attention to Thousand Watt Stare, a brand-spankin’ new band whose members, (Mr.Christian Martucci of Black President, Strychnine Babies, and The Chelsea Smiles, and Mr.Dylan Howard and Mr.Pat Kim of Unwritten Law), are more than experienced in the art of making Punk Rock music and playing it in the way it was meant to be played: fast, loud, and no bullshit attached. Blended nicely with it’s fair share of Rockabilly and straight up Rock n’ Roll, (and leaving all that Emo and Screamo by the wayside), Thousand Watt Stare may just be the saviors that Punk Rock music has been looking for.”

“With a combined CV that includes stints in The Dee Dee Ramone Band, Unwritten Law, Black President and more, Thousand Watt Stare have clearly been sapped of none of their energy over the years, as this six-track offers so much in the way of simple exuberance.
The lurching, bar-room swagger of ‘Lights Out’ proves their strongest suit, a track so bursting with charisma you can immediately picture it as a live standout. There’s a fairly raw quality to the production here that suits the material, and adds extra weight to the heavier moments, like the stomp-along attitude of ‘TV Casualty’.”

“Thousand Watt Stare have made an above average EP, borderlining on brilliant. It’s different to what you normally hear from bands today, and their vintage rock will stand out from the crowd. It’s well worth a listen and it’s going to be well worth keeping an eye out for a full-length album from the trio. If they managed to make this in a day, imagine what they could do in a fortnight.
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“Wait, punk with no whining? You mean true old school stuff? I clicked the link and started listening. Being the pessimistic bastard I am I waited to be disappointed. That moment never came. Names of the punk I grew up loving (I'm not just a Metal head people) started flooding into my brain. They reminded me of Bad Religion, The Clash, Social Distortion, and so many more.”